SYDNEY: Australian households will be able to access three hours a day of free solar power under an energy-saving programme that the government unveiled on Tuesday and will begin next year.
"We want to see the benefits of renewable energy flow to all," Energy Minister Chris Bowen told national broadcaster ABC.
In a statement, he said that Solar Sharer scheme will be rolled out from next year in some jurisdictions, including New South Wales and South Australia, before a possible expansion.
"It's not a silver bullet, and it is part of a suite of measures, but it's a good one," Bowen told ABC.
Australia has poured billions into solar power, wind turbines and green manufacturing and pledged to make the nation a renewable energy superpower.
And Australians have been quick adopters of solar power, with about 4.2 million homes -- roughly one in three -- already having panels installed on their roofs, according to official data.
The government's new offer will be available to all Australians, "even those without solar panels or batteries", Bowen said, as long as they have a smart meter and opt in to the new plan.
Contentious political subject
Australian Energy Council chief executive Louisa Kinnear said that while she welcomed initiatives aimed at improving customer experience, she was "disappointed" the government had not consulted the industry ahead of the announcement.
"This change introduces a complex regulatory solution that delivers a customer outcome that is already being offered by many retailers," she said in a statement.
Australia's energy future has become a contentious political subject as it looks to phase out ageing coal-fired power stations while ensuring there is enough electricity to keep the lights on.
Australia pledged in September to slash planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70 percent from 2005 levels over the next decade -- a target activists warn is not ambitious enough.
But its green ambitions are at odds with its deep entanglement with lucrative fossil fuel industries, and it remains one of the world's biggest coal exporters.